In Class:
- Review Weeks 2 and 3 HW;Â Reading strategies, summarizing and responding, identifying rhetorical choices and their purpose
- Read JosĂ© Olivarez, “Maybe I Could Save Myself by Writing” and “Mexican American Disambiguation” and “Citizen Illegal” (2018)
- Watch 2019 LAF student video on Olivarez
- Discuss Unit 1 and brainstorm
- Download and save to your computer class folder:Â Writing Process PPT
Homework Assignment (number your answers in the Comment below):
1. Write a 1-paragraph summary of one of Olivarez’s texts, using the Summary Powerpoint template as a model. Include a quote from the text that you feel represents an important idea. Can you connect with this idea? Explain.
2. Use your brainstorming material from class to write a paragraph about an educational experience you have had in life, inside or outside of a school setting. Your paragraph should set the scene for the reader: when, where, and what, before describing the experience and what you learned in the process. This will ultimately be fleshed out and become your Unit 1 essay (see Major Assignments).
3. In our next class we will work on transforming this paragraph into an Outline for your Unit 1 Education & Identity narrative. For #3 here, start thinking about how you would like to tell your story. Where do you want to start, and where do you want to end? What are some important ideas and memories? What are some compelling details you can provide throughout the narrative, to support your ideas? What might your paragraph order be?  You could address these questions in a paragraph, or copy and paste the outline (delete the example text) in your Comment and fill in the information there.
1. In JosĂ© Olivarez’s article “(Citizen) (Illegal),” published in 2018, he discusses a situation that many people face when living/traveling to a country where they are considered “illegal”. “(Citizen) (Illegal)” focuses on immigration through the eyes of three characters: a Mexican woman and a Mexican man with a citizen baby boy. Not only that, but JosĂ© Olivarez’s words describe the feelings of fear, confusion, and discrimination that one may experience. JosĂ© Olivarez writes from the perspective that anyone who reads his poetry can understand how a child, adolescent, or anyone in general may feel growing up with an immigrant family. While also including questions that one may ask themselves. When JosĂ© Olivarez states, “If the boy (citizen) (illegal) grows up (illegal) and can only write (illegal) this story in English (citizen), does that make him more American (citizen) or Mexican (illegal)?”. This quote is significant to me because its like asking/questioning yourself before you do something, “if I do this will it be illegal because of my immigration statutes?”.
2. I used to believe that the friends I made in high school would be my “best friends”. I didn’t realize the true meaning of “best friends” until the middle of high school. Which was Junior year. I had my friends while I was at school. But those were only my classmates. Then came the pandemic. Schools were closed due to COVID-19. Schooling at home was a completely different experience. But it taught me even more about what it meant to be a friend. Only three people from the group I used to talk to every day at school remained in contact with me: Isabel, Soraya, and Jiselle. They are, indeed, my friends, but they are school friends. My family is my true friends/best friends. For me, friends are those who stick with me through the good and bad times. They are the ones who give me that extra push because they care about me and want me to succeed. They only want the best for me. Provides me with advice. But they will always be there, no matter what happens.
3. The way I would want to tell my story will be from the very beginning. Before I learned what I learned.
I’d like to begin by discussing what “best friend” meant to me in the past, and then move on to what I believe a best friend means to me now. Referring to my friendship with my best friends (my family). One of the most important concepts I learned was that family is always present. Through it all, both good and bad. But, above all, the memories that we get to make together. One of my favorite memories is the time we spent together as a family during covid. We didn’t spend much time together before because we were always busy with school and my parents’ working. First person words and sending a message to the reader are two compelling details that I would include throughout the story. My paragraph order would be 1. Introducing the definition of friends/best friends. What I thought the definition was before for me, and what I believe the true meaning of friend/best friend is to me know. 2. What it was like for me to call someone my friend. Meaning in school. 3. How it was for me when quarantine happened. 4.How I slowly started to realize who in reality was my best friends.
HEY WITH ALL DUE RESPECT I THINK THE CONCEPT OF YOUR WRITING IS THERE BUT NOT THE FORMAT YET. I THINK THAT IF YOU DO IT THE WAY YOU PLANNED IT WILL BE A BIT TOO REPETITIVE AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT WAS THE EXACT MOMENT WHERE YOU NOTICED YOUR FRIENDS WERE NOT YOUR “REAL” FRIENDS. WAS IT AN ACTION THAT COSTED YOUR FRIENDSHIP OR WAS IT JUST DISTANCE FROM COVID. I THINK YOUR WRITING WOULD BE “BETTER” IF IT WAS A SPECIFIC MOMENT WHERE YOUR FRIENDSHIP/S STARTED CRUMBLING AND THE SPECIFIC MOMENT WHERE YOU FELT THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR FAMILY STARTED STRENGTHENING. 🙂
In José Olivarez’s article “Citizen Illegal,” published in 2018. The author talks about a situation that many individuals who migrates from their home country to a place with different culture and beliefs confronts. He describes the problematic that three main characters face: Mexican woman (illegal), Mexican man (illegal), who have a Mexican (illegal)-American (citizen) son . Olivarez describes situations in which these individuals’ experience feelings of uncertainty, fear, and intolerance. This poem portrays the reality that not only him or his family, but many families around the globe experiment when they migrate from their hometown. A quote that I chose to talk about is the following: “Place the baby in the arms of the mother (illegal). If the mother holds the baby (citizen) too long, does the baby become illegal?”. This part of the poem drew my attention because to me my mom is the most important person in the world. Therefore, it makes me think of other mothers like her, who come to the US with dreams and desire to overcome any obstacles, but at the same time not knowing what the future might hold for them and their families.
2 For my essay I would like to talk about my experience of coming to study in The United States after getting a bachelor’s degree in Dentistry in my hometown, Ecuador. I would say that the learning process while living in NY has been non stoppable, my expectations were completely different that the reality. On the journey I have encountered people and situations that one way or the other have contributed to make me the person I am nowadays. I think coming to NY marked a before and after in my life.
3 Initially I have two experiences that I thought of describing in my essay, but I think that living in NY is the one that I can develop at its best. I have lived in the US for about 3 years, and I would say that my plan when I first came as an international student up to now has completely changed for better. In my essay I would like to talk about the people and moments that have been crucial to me during these last years of learning. I would maybe include details of how this experiences changed my plans for the future.
1. In JosĂ© Olivarez’s article “Maybe I Could Save Myself By Writing,” published in 2018, he described himself as being lost during his teenager years. When in the United States, people see him as Mexican, but when he’s in Mexico, people see him as American. JosĂ© Olivarez wanted to read books written by Latinx authors so he can understand more of Mexican immigrants and want his family to feel that they are not the only ones being discriminated. A quote I chose from this article is, “Maybe I could write the stories I was craving to read. Maybe I could save myself by writing.” This got my attention because when he couldn’t find the books he needed, he decided to do it himself. I can connect to this not in his way of writing to save myself, but as in finding the solution myself that will save me.
2. One education experience I’ve had in life was my 4 years of high school. I knew high school wouldn’t be the same as middle school where we had the same students every class. But I didn’t except depression to come into my life that early of the stage. I have met people that helped me with my depression and people that made my depression worse. During this journey, I have also learned to love myself, getting rid of fake friends and staying with the ones that likes me for who I am.
3. I would start from the beginning of high school freshmen year. Then in sophomore year I would talk about an experience that I had when I went to China for 2 weeks. Next will be my junior year where some harsh experiences happened…and how I recovered from it. At the end, I would write what I have learned all these years and hopefully people that went through the same thing or felt the same way I did, will be able to save themselves as well.
1. In Olivarez writing, “Maybe I Could Save Myself By Writing” published in 2018, Olivarez describes the adversity he faced during his teenage years. How he felt out of place whenever he was supposed to feel like he belonged. He didn’t feel accepted in the United States because he was seen as Mexican, but neither was he accepted in mexico because he was American. Olivarez states, ” I wanted to write poems in a way that might give a young person in similar circumstances some comfort.” This demonstrates Olivarez’ purpose to writing. The “why” in his writings. I can relate to this quote because i want my life to encourage others and let them know, your dream IS possible no matter what obstacle you face.
2. “Whatever you choose to do you will have my support 200%, solo se feliz” I remember those words from my mother like if it would’ve been yesterday. That was five years ago at 11pm, when we were researching for high schools on her bedside. who knew her words would hunt me until this day. Just be happy? that was easy when i was 12 with no responsibilities. Now i have to choose for something to do for the rest of my life. College?Union? Work? When i turned 15 all the possibilities were narrowed down to college. But how is that a choice to happiness when it is your only choice?
3. SURPRISE
1. In Olivarez article, “Maybe I Could Save Myself By Writing” Published in 2018,
JosĂ© Olivarez expressed his viewpoints on his life and how everyone else perceives him as a outside and alienate him. no one saw him as JosĂ© Olivarez and all that he is, but instead he like many was viewed as a outcast so that led him on a search for his sanctuary. Olivarez stated “I’m telling you this because I wrote a book of poems with one foot in the past, one hand in the present, and a nose on the future. Because I want to be honest about how much I don’t know.” representing that he still does not know where he belong. i feel connected to this quote because I find myself questioning the purpose of life, trying to understand what is the catalyst of whatever force that’ll lead us to whatever life has put us onto this world for, because everything has a purpose like your body and its complex functions and how it all just fits and works together even if its through evolution.
People whose Life that are so unproblematic that they’ll whine about anything and everything are worse than the criminals they despite there are always someone that is dealing with so much more, that person was me and the person dealing with the full force of life was my father. My father was a criminal, so I know better than anyone the difference between a bad person and a good person without him in my life I’ve learned many important lessons, until recently I didn’t know who I was or what I was because I didn’t have someone to teach me the ropes of being a proper person. That is until I met Mr. Deng a friend’s father a short balding gentleman with the purest heart with the best philosophy anyone can give. he offered to take me on his job so I can earn some cash while I didn’t have anything to do, but that turned out to be more than I bargained for he turned to become a father figure to me on each truck ride to the destination he would talk about his life experiences with people and such and tell me the difference between right or wrong. giving me suggestions me to pick up multiple things, so I can be a Jack of all trades something my father was but wasn’t around often enough to get through to me. I don’t blame my father for anything I now know what he had to do even though, it wasn’t right but I want to right his wrongs but some things are irreversible like lives and getting my father back.
3. I have a simple question what do you think about “to the future or to the past, to a time when thought is free, when men are different from one another and do not live alone-to a time when truth exists and what is done cannot be undone:
From the age of uniformity, from the age of solitude, from the age of big brother, from the age of double thinking-greetings!” to me I think of rock bottom with a shining light from above, a light that’ll lead me out of the hole that I have dug so deep that the light is barely visible. but with enough crawling and through patience and time maybe the hole wouldn’t be so deep and just maybe ill hit surface. So now id like to ask you where are you in this sinking hell hole that is life?
1) In Jose Olivarez’s poem “(Citizen) (Illegal)” (2018), the author speaks about the internal and external struggle (the constant dilemma) a person who is Mexican American faces. Jose speaks about the different viewpoints/perspectives these individuals are being seen as and asks throughout his poem what action make a person more American or Mexican? Throughout the poem he incorporates some of his personal experience and the dilemma he constantly faced as a child growing up. In “(Citizen) (Illegal)”, Olivarez mentions “If the baby (illegal) (citizen) grows up to speak broken Spanish (illegal) and perfect English (citizen).” (Olivarez,2018). I found this quote to be important and stuck out to me the most because that is a constant issue most Mexican American individuals face and are heavily criticized for not being able to speak Spanish and only know English. I have seen this issue countless times and upon reading it, reminded me of the constant issue many face because in order to be “Mexican” one must know how to speak Spanish. Unfortunately, in the eyes of others, knowing the language makes you a part of their culture, and not knowing leads to judgement. Therefore, Olivarez makes those claims and asks the question to see what others think about what makes a person more Mexican, American, or Mexican American.
2) An important educational experience that played a role in my life was the times I would get bullied/criticized about my weight when I was younger. I remember this all started when I was a young boy in elementary school, that seemed to get worse as the years went on. In high school I reached my peak coming in at almost 200lbs. I knew change had to occur and would occur if I allowed it. I began to take fitness seriously and within a matter of months, I was able to transform myself into a better person. I was able to do this from all the doubt and negativity I would receive. I would take their doubt and negative comments and turn it to my favor and use it as a motivating factor to prove these individuals wrong. Their hate fueled my success.
3) I will begin to tell my story by highlighting past events/incidents that involved my lifestyle. I would speak about the food I ate and the type of encounters I would have with certain people that lead me to this transformation. I would end my story by telling the audience how it is I am feeling, the benefits that came along with my transformation and my overall feelings. I would mention important and memorable ideas I encountered in my journey and the bumps I faced within myself. Also, memories of hard work and determination that led to success. I am also going to mention the people that motivated me most and the people who also doubted me. I am still developing ideas towards the complete structure of the essay, but this is the overview of how I plan to structure it so far.
1. Jose Olivarez in his article “Maybe I Could Save Myself From Writing,” published in 2018. The author talked about different experiences he faced during his young age and how he decided to write. First, he states that when he was an adolescent, he was feeling that he belonged nowhere. However, that was far in the past, now he decides to write a book of poems named “Citizen Illegal.” Furthermore, He goes on and talked about how writing shifted his connection to education and power. Also, when he started writing, he was less involved in a type of education that didn’t take him as an active participant. Then, José Olivarez ends by saying that I do not want to write poems that contain the problem with young people. But he wants to write poems content the question he felt as a teen. So, it might give a young person who is in a similar condition some comfort.
2. When I was a child, my goal was to become a professional soccer player. I was excited by what I saw on the TV; one player dribbles another player and scores; that was spectacular. I joined a soccer team in my neighborhood. I used to play three times per week. However, I was enjoying it. But throughout my high school, my curiosity about technology obliges me to join a computer class session in my school. The way my teacher was explaining it was outstanding. A Compute I such small things user interface that is gaining traction. I was captivated by computers interact with our environment. Possible to connect all over the world by a simple software application such as Zoom, Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.
According to William Arthur Ward, “The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” I refer to this quote because my teacher of computer science inspires me to spark my ability of programming. It was where I started for having another vision of my future goals, that is being a computer scientist. hopefully, I am following my path.
3. I will start at the beginning, since when I was young. Second, my transition to high school where I decided to relinquish my dream, by having another big dream. I will provide some statistics that help me to switch and take my major. Then, I will talk about how this decision has positive benefits in my life although sometimes I would like to play soccer, I can say that it is not the main priority of my life.
1) In the article “Maybe I Could Save Myself by Writing” by Jose Olivarez, Jose is young boy who feels like an outsider in a crazy Society but found his voice through writing.In the article Olivarez is describing his young life just being a young Mexican boy, he feels like society isn’t really there for him he feels like he doesn’t belong here(U.S) because of his ethnic background.Although Jose consumed so much trauma for just being born into a Hispanic household, he found writing a way of comfort. He now is a mentor to young people who are going through similar things he went to, he states, “They have to write the poems that will save them, just like I had to write the poems that saved me.” meaning we have to find ways to better ourselves and continue to grow and outgrow our fears, we need to break societies rules and show them how much we can change the world only if we decide to because only we control our future.
2. One thing about me that I don’t like telling people is that I’m a young mother, yes I have a little girl, the reason I dislike telling people is because they feel pity for me which is not the case. In high school I was great student with a 90 GPA, I got pregnant my second year of highschool. I noticed everyone treating me differently, teachers and students felt pity for me and tried to avoid me. Those times I felt like no one wanted to help me like I didn’t belong there because I was so young and my life was changing drastically, i wanted to drop out but that’s what they wanted me to do, that was expected from me because 85% of young moms drop out of highschool and their education was thrown out the window. I was lucky to have a really nice advisor named Denise, she pushed me to the very end. She helped me stay on top of my classes and even organized zoom calls with me to help me with homework, made sure I was mentally stable and without her I would be here in college typing this paragraph. She was my role model she gave me motive because no one should ever have to pick something over their education.
3. The way I would start my story is from past, now and future. I want to tell others how difficult my life was then, and how I manage my life now and how I would like my life to go in the future.
1. In Jose Olivarez’s poem “(Citizen) (Illegal)” Take a Mexican woman (illegal) and a Mexican man (illegal).
If they have a baby and the baby looks white enough to pass (citizen).published in 2018, the author talks about what’s it like to be a Mexican American and the constant struggle of being consider illegal or citizen. He speaks about the various viewpoints of how each individual action could make a person more Mexican or American. One of the quote I felt important in “(Citizen)(Illegal)” by Jose Olivarez was “Take a Mexican woman (illegal) and a Mexican man (illegal).
If they have a baby and the baby looks white enough to pass (citizen).” I connect with this because I have a friend who looks close to white enough to pass as a citizen but both his parents are Mexican who are considered Illegal.
2. During covid I saw how much weight I put on to the point I was 200 pounds at peak. I knew I had to do something about that and since all the gym were close I started to workout at home and eating a lot better. A few months went by and I saw myself at 170 pounds I was so proud at my achievements, but then I started to do less and less of my exercise as well as eating bad food again. What I learn from this is experience is to keep doing this until it becomes a habit or have a similar routine to keep myself in shape.
3. I would like to start with my beginning of reaching my max weight. Then my start up of my routine plus my eating diet. After, my downfall once I hit 170 pounds and how I learned from it and going to fix it.
1. In the poem “Citizens Illegal” (2018) by Jose Olivarez, Jose talks about the struggles and the confrontations of being a Mexican men and women . As well as being Mexican-American. In other words Jose speaks about how one could be consider illegal or a citizen. In the poem Jose illustrates “The baby is a boy (citizen). He goes to school (citizen).
His classmates are American (citizen). He is outcast (illegal). His “Hellos” are in the wrong language (illegal).” This quote stood out to me because I knew someone who was a citizen and it would be hard for them to speak English do to the fact that there parents at home would only speak to them in Spanish. which then led people to have misconceptions about them being illegal.
2. So the topic that gave me an education experience I would have to say was a time when I went to Mexico to play soccer against Profession clubs over there. I traveled with a couple of teammates and coaches. The objective was to get an experience and opportunity to be able to get exposure. To give a little more background we were on our own nobody had any parent with them, we were all traveling together.
3. So basically I would start off with before and what I thought about the idea and then I would talk about my experience over there and then finally I would talk about things I learned and how it helped me improve.
In the poem “Maybe I could save myself by writing” by Jose Olivarez.He tell his story how he was not treated equally with others.He felt that he was living in the wrong country he didn’t belong there.”My parents brought me to the local preschool facility where the preschool promptly rejected my application into the school.”He got rejected because they didn’t have anyone in staff who speaks Spanish to help this will even effect him more because he will get negative thought in his head.
When I came to America I had some difficulties.I had to learn English adapt to the new environment and I wasn’t good at making friends so I was lonely most of the time.After 2 weeks I wanted to move back to my country but my parents told me stay for 2-3 weeks more If you don’t like it you can move back with your grandma but after 2 weeks they moved me to another class with people from my country that made my life a lot easier and I was happy to go to school.
I wanted to start from when I came here and then the difficulties I had and then how it went at the end.
1) In the poem “Citizen illegal,” published in 2018, Jose Olivarez, the author, talks about the difficulties when living in a country that considered you to be illegal. Olivarez talks about the problems and experiences of one of the three characters, a Mexican-American boy, about if he is more Mexican or American. Olivarez writes “If the baby (illegal) (citizen) grows up to speak broken Spanish (illegal)and perfect English (citizen).” This quote really connects to me because it is a problem that I can relate to in my life. While all of my family members can speak Spanish fluently. I still struggle to talk to my parents, making me feel somewhat disconnected from them about our culture.
2) During the covid pandemic, I had a lot of trouble keeping up with my classes during covid. At first, it was hard for me to learn online, and got very lazy with doing work. It took me a while to get a routine going. With that routine, I was able to get things done that I needed to do.
3) I still don’t how I would tell this story, but I think I might start with how I acted before the pandemic and then how I was forced to change during the pandemic.
1. In his article titled “Maybe I Could Save Myself By Writing,” José Olivarez chronicles some parts of his upbringing as a Latinx teenager in the midst of Chicago, and how his experiences with education powered his drive to enter the field of poetry. He writes specifically about how he felt that he never belonged in the United States as a whole, and that his story was in Mexico, where he would “make sense.” It was because of this uncertainty that he found himself craving answers to his many questions, which led him to the works of other prominent Chicanx writers like Laurie Ann Guerrero and Ana Castillo. Unfortunately for José, those types of books were not in the educational curriculum, which sent him back on his search. It was afterwards that he decided to attend his school’s poetry slam club, which awakened his priorly-dormant interest in poetry, and gave to him new perspectives on society, power, and learning experiences. He aimed to write about how it was to be an adolescent, stuck in a society that felt so cold and irresponsible for his existence, aimless and confused. Within the article, he writes, “I needed to read about the Chicano Movement and the Young Lords and anti-gentrification organizers. Those authors and those stories weren’t a part of the curriculum.” This quote, I feel, illustrates in detail José’s thoughts about how difficult it was to be a part of a society that barely recognized him. When he needed answers, when he needed to know that he and his family weren’t alone in the confusion, he found that this was something that school could not give him. These were answers that he had to find on his own, with his own time and skill. I can resonate with that idea, being Chicano myself. It’s all very confusing when you’re whisked away from your home to a completely foreign and cold place so suddenly. Maybe, by seeing that we aren’t alone in the haze, there can be some respite.
2. During my senior year of High school I had to write my college essay. I though this was going to be easy, since I get to talk about myself. As an idea our teacher suggested that we should think about how we’ve changed ever since we were kids. I immediately thought “oh I am a so much better version of myself at the moment!” But in the back of my head something felt off. While at school, I spent the whole day just thinking about that. “Am I really a better version of myself? Am I the BEST version of myself?” At that moment I wondered, how would me 10 year-old self react to me now? I’ve definitely changed, but was it for the better? The next couples of weeks were spent with that thought filling my head.
3. My idea would be to write from the perspective of my younger self judging/complementing who I am now. It would start be describing some childhood instances then it could be both sides (Younger me, and older me) could give their opinions on how the situation could have been handled.
1) In Olivarez’s article “I Could Save Myself By Writing”, Olivarez talks about his teenage years in school, and his experience through those years. He speaks on his love for reading and lack of poetic knowledge. He also speaks on his struggles to fit in. “ Maybe I could write the stories I was craving to read. Maybe I could save myself by writing.” I understand this quote as Olivarez taking things into his own hands. I feel this quote is comparable to “be the change you want to see in the world”, taking issues into your own hands and dealing with them in your own way.
2) Over the past few years I’ve experienced the meaning of no pain no gain through skateboarding. Skateboarding is a dangerous and often times painful activity that can result in serious injury. Although these risks are serious, the satisfaction of learning a new trick after hours, days, or even months of practice is unmatched. I have rolled my ankles countless times, setting back my ability to do tricks for weeks at a time, but when I’m all healed up it makes getting back into my groove that much better. I’ve learned to prepare for and push through the pain to
reach my end goal and evolve as a skater and as a person.
3) I guess I’d start my story at the beginning of my skateboarding experience and continue the story up to present day. I’d talk about the process of learning my first few tricks and then compare to the tricks I have learned since and tricks I’m trying to learn.
1) In “Mexican American Disambiguation” By Jose Olivarez, the narrator is describing himself to be related to a group of people, but rather than being the same as them, he is instead differentiated. Even though Olivarez had grown up in the same country with the same traditions, he feels to be treated differently from other Mexicans who live in Mexico without a “fancy college degree”, “but my parents call themselves Mexicanos,
who, again, should not be confused for Mexicanos living in MĂ©xico. those Mexicanos might call my family gringos, which is the word my family calls white folks & white folks call my parents interracial.” (Lines 15-19). The author also explains that even though they had been accepted into the “American Family” they are not treated as one of their kind rather as a diversity in the family, “my dad became a citizen which should not be confused with keys to the house. we were safe from deportation, which should not be confused with walking the plank,. though they’re cousins.” (Lines 36-39)
2) Throughout the past year, I have learned that growing up and turning into an adult is not as fun as it may seem. They are more and more responsibilities, for example school, work and taking care of family. When you are still learning in high school, it may not seem like it, but you have much more free time than you would if you were in college. Trying to balance work and school is very hard to accomplish.
3) I would start talking about how my life was easier and more relaxed with a bunch of free time on my hands. Once I had started my senior year of college I had to start looking for a job to help support not only myself but my family. Then I would explain how difficult it is to stay focused on school while also having to go to school and helping my family. I would also explain that living young and free should not be looked down upon, you should always seize the day to do something helpful or something that brings you joy while you are still young.
1) In the poem “Citizen illegal,” published in 2018, Jose Olivarez, the author, talks about the difficulties of trying to be yourself by race. Whether you are more Mexican or more American. If you attend college, speak English, and if you look white enough so you could “pass” as white and you’ll be a citizen (an American). Or if you grew up speaking Spanish and looking more color then you are illegal. Olivarez asks “If the boy (citizen) (illegal) grows up (illegal) and can only write (illegal) this story in English (citizen), does that make him more American (citizen) or Mexican (illegal)?” I feel like this quote represents an important idea and really caught my eye because I know there is are a lot of people being criticized for speaking Spanish in public or just because they are not white enough just to “fit in” society. Sadly, there are a lot of judgments in the world for the Mexicans that they have to be treated differently just because they are illegal and not a citizen. In some way, I can understand this because I know friends whose parents are Mexicans but their son is born in the U.S but will look like if they are Illegal when they are Citizens.
2) During the covid pandemic, everything in my life turned around meaning from being in person, paying attention to being online, and getting distracted or not doing work. Little by little time has passed I would get the hang of it and I had a new routine to follow. Also, friends would go with the same problem so we kept in touch and gave each other tips on what to do, we talked about anything to help get a smile in our day.
3) The way that I will begin to tell my story is by starting to tell how my days were from in person(in the start) to how it slowly changed and what effects I had in me (physically, mentally, and spiritually) as well as for my family that we were in all this together and as well a bit of some positive moments that changed me in who I am nowadays. This is just a bit of an overview of what I am thinking to add to my essay.
1. In “Maybe I Could Save Myself By Writing” (Sep 12, 2018), José Olivarez talk about how he transitioned from not fitting in to finding his identity through writing poems. Growing up as a young Mexican-American, he felt like he belonged nowhere. But then he discovered writing and poetry and found a way to express himself through them. Now he wants young people who are in the same place he was to find comfort in his poems and stories.
The first sentence of the text, “[w]hen I was a teenager, I felt like I belonged nowhere” resonated with me the most. As a daughter of Bangladeshi immigrants, I sometimes struggle with forming my identity. Balancing both cultures and trying to belong in both places can be difficult.
2. The meaning of education and the purpose of going to school changed for me over the years. In the beginning, I did it because I had to. My parents wanted the grades and so I got them. Slowly I started losing motivation and didn’t know why I went to school or what the importance of studying really is. Over time, I found my own reason and motivation to keep on studying and getting educated.
3. I will start with describing my early school days in Kindergarten and elementary school. Then, I will explain how things I started losing motivation in middle and high school. Lastly, I will tell how I found my own reason to get an education (and not because my parents wanted me to) and how I am currently doing in college.
1) In the article posted by Jose Olivarez’s,” Maybe I could save myself by writing”, which was published in 2018, In the article Jose’ Olivarez’s was basically reminiscing on himself being disorientated during his teenage life and felt like he don’t below anywhere, he was born in Chicago, Illinois, but his parents were born in Cañadas de ObregĂłn, Jalisco, MĂ©xico, however, his family had migrated to Calumet city and for some reason, he couldn’t fit in because of his native language, as he said in the article,” the preschools did not have anyone on staff who spoke Spanish well enough to help him attend classes, even so, the story goes on to when he had now entered high school and immediately came to the realization that he needed to move to Mexico, so all his questions about he belongs can be answered because he felt like he was based in the wrong country. when he was 16 his parents let him spend a month with his grandparents back in Cañadas. he had lots of mischievous thoughts to stay with his grandparents and ever return because he wasn’t welcomed by society, but that was before arriving in Mexico and fellas out of place as it felt back home, nevertheless, he thought he was going to retrieve some answers but while being in Mexico the kids on his grandparent’s block were saying that he didn’t below there, so he’s left wondering where do I belong. All the complications in his life lead him to write this poem.
2) In the past few years I have grown into a whole different person. The covid 19 pandemic made me realize that I should take life for granted as responsibility had grown upon me so fast I had to go back to the drawing board and come with a better routine that can get me to success but also change my entire lifestyle for the better
3) I will start my story from the beginning of my life to tell how I had transited from the person I was to the person I am today .
1) In the article posted by Jose Olivarez’s,” Maybe I could save myself by writing”, which was published in 2018, In the article Jose’ Olivarez’s was basically reminiscing on himself being disorientated during his teenage life and felt like he don’t below anywhere, he was born in Chicago, Illinois, but his parents were born in Cañadas de ObregĂłn, Jalisco, MĂ©xico, however, his family had migrated to Calumet city and for some reason, he couldn’t fit in because of his native language, as he said in the article,” the preschools did not have anyone on staff who spoke Spanish well enough to help him attend classes, even so, the story goes on to when he had now entered high school and immediately came to the realization that he needed to move to Mexico, so all his questions about he belongs can be answered because he felt like he was based in the wrong country. when he was 16 his parents let him spend a month with his grandparents back in Cañadas. he had lots of mischievous thoughts to stay with his grandparents and ever return because he wasn’t welcomed by society, but that was before arriving in Mexico and fellas out of place as it felt back home, nevertheless, he thought he was going to retrieve some answers but while being in Mexico the kids on his grandparent’s block were saying that he didn’t below there, so he’s left wondering where do I belong. All the complications in his life lead him to write this poem.
2) In the past few years I have grown into a whole different person. The covid 19 pandemic made me realize that I should take life for granted as responsibility had grown upon me so fast I had to go back to the drawing board and come with a better routine that can get me to success but also change my entire lifestyle for the better
3) I will start my story from the beginning of my life to tell how I had transited from the person I was to the person I am today .
1) In the article posted by Jose Olivarez’s,” Maybe I could save myself by writing”, which was published in 2018, In the article Jose’ Olivarez’s was basically reminiscing on himself being disorientated during his teenage life and felt like he don’t below anywhere, he was born in Chicago, Illinois, but his parents were born in Cañadas de ObregĂłn, Jalisco, MĂ©xico, however, his family had migrated to Calumet city and for some reason, he couldn’t fit in because of his native language, as he said in the article,” the preschools did not have anyone on staff who spoke Spanish well enough to help him attend classes, even so, the story goes on to when he had now entered high school and immediately came to the realization that he needed to move to Mexico, so all his questions about he belongs can be answered because he felt like he was based in the wrong country. when he was 16 his parents let him spend a month with his grandparents back in Cañadas. he had lots of mischievous thoughts to stay with his grandparents and ever return because he wasn’t welcomed by society, but that was before arriving in Mexico and fellas out of place as it felt back home, nevertheless, he thought he was going to retrieve some answers but while being in Mexico the kids on his grandparent’s block were saying that he didn’t below there, so he’s left wondering where do I belong. All the complications in his life lead him to write this poem.
2) In the past few years I have grown into a whole different person. The covid 19 pandemic made me realize that I should take life for granted as responsibility had grown upon me so fast I had to go back to the drawing board and come with a better routine that can get me to success but also change my entire lifestyle for the better
3) I will start my story from the beginning of my life to tell how I had transited from the person I was to the person I am today .
In the Jose Olivarez Article “Maybe I could save myself by Writing” (2018), the author. The Author grew up in struggling with his cultural Identity when growing up in the United States where he was rejected from a preschool that didn’t have anyone that spoke enough spanish for him to help him attend classes, When he lived in the USA he was considered “Too Spanish” but when he stated with his family in Mexico he wasnt considered “Too Spanish” and corrected him.The kids on my grandparents’ block pronounced my name like my parents did, but when they asked me where I was from and I tried to tell them I was Mexican, they were quick to correct me. No, no, no. You’re from the United States. He felt out of place anywhere in and out the country possible with his own family
I once had an educational experience of asking for help, in middle school and high school it started getting harder to ask my parents for help as my dad left school at 12 and my mom went to school in a different country and the system was different. When applying to colleges i wasn’t even really able to ask around for help with my parents or other family members me and my cousin are the 1st generation to go to college and i wasnt really able to ask her as her major was different than mine but helped with little things like financial aid and the start of the application but when dealing with things like now with large assignment or long hour classes they wouldn’t understand because they think i have time all day to start help and run errands just because my classes online.
I would want to start in the pandemic when I first started doing my classes online and had a great passion for fashion. When i talked to my parents about what “real” jobs were. And had to restart my passions.